Mrs. Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, ProfessorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, InstructorEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
This post is actually taken from the Hot Wings’ wedding website. For our 4 year anniversary last year, Mr. Hot Wings gifted me with “Our Love Story” and our “Proposal Story” to be used for our wedding website. It was the best present I could have received. So here it is, with only name edits.
***
I proposed to Miss Hot Wings on December 20, 2008. At the time, we were both in San Diego staying with her parents during our winter break. I had decided before we left for San Diego that I wanted to propose to Miss Hot Wings at Torrey Pines State Reserve at sunset.
*personal picture taken on proposal day*
But my dilemma was how to suggest we go out to the park around sunset without making it super obvious that the proposal was imminent. As it turns out, Miss Hot Wings had gotten a new camera for her birthday just days earlier, so I told her it would be fun to “test out the new camera” over at Torrey Pines by taking some pictures at sunset. (Sounds a bit fishy I know, and Miss Hot Wings later said she thought something was up, but that doesn’t matter now.) Read more…
Mrs. Trail Mix, New YorkAge and Occupation: 26, PE TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, MBA StudentEngagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Tannery Pond at the Darrow SchoolAbout Me: I'm a country girl who somehow found herself living in the Big Apple and loving every minute of it. I'm planning a rustic, country-chic wedding in my hometown in upstate New York and it's going to be a Party with a capital P. White wine, flea markets and running keep me happy and my friends, family and fiance are my world. I'm a little bit crafty, a little bit crazy but mostly just crazy in love.
Hee hee, sorry, I couldn’t resist a cartoon that featured running and weddings!
Now that it’s almost February (what the CRAP?!?! How did that happen?!?!) I am deep into marathon training. In fact, I counted it up and the Boston Marathon is less than 12 weeks away! For once, I’ve actually been consistent with my training, thanks in large part to writing about it as well as logging all my miles and workouts (a strategy I talked about here).
I thought I would share with you all a typical training week. You could modify this for any-length race though; just subtract about 20% of the mileage for a shorter race (such as a half-marathon or 10k.) Read more…
Mrs. Ribbons, Washington D.C./Bloomington, INAge and Occupation: 23, Research Associate for an international development firmFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Proposal Coordinator for contractor
Engagement Date: May 2, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Indiana Memorial UnionAbout Me: I'm an Indiana transplant living in DC with my fiance and our pretty kitty. I enjoy the color pink, I'm obsessed with the Dior New Look and tulle, and I heart my level 80 paladin. I'm a sucker for bad TV, literary theory, and cakes of all persuasion. I also happen to be marrying the cutest closet nerd around! It's all about Bloomington for us because it's where we met -- on the college paper. If there's a theme for our small summertime wedding, it's Dior meets Dorothy Draper on a lark in Bloomington; think poofy, plus graphic prints, bold colors, and a whole lot of prettiness.
When we started discussing suiting for Ribs, “investment” was a term thrown around a lot. We both agreed it should be pretty classic, black, and tailored to perfection. We envisioned something so exquisitely crafted, it could be a tux substitute.
Well, then we realized our budget was a little more conservative, that the wiggle room we built in for this kind of purchase got wiggled out for other vendors. So the new quest was to get something under $500.
Mrs. Cheeseburger, Baltimore, MD/State College, PAAge and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Medical StudentEngagement Date: June 28, 2008Wedding Date: March 2010Venue: Catholic Church Ceremony & Hotel ReceptionAbout Me: I'm a passionate girl from Pittsburgh, currently living in Baltimore for school, who loves Penn State, seeing movies, football, thunderstorms, black and white photos, Christmas, good beer, my amazing friends and family, and of course, my mister! We met, fell in love, got engaged, and will be married at our alma mater (go lions!) in a traditional Catholic ceremony followed by a hotel reception with lots of DIY details. It means so much to have our families and friends meet at our favorite place on earth to celebrate our love for one another - I truly couldn't ask for anything more!
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
Mrs. French Fries, MilwaukeeAge and Occupation: 27, ParalegalFiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Investments AdvisorEngagement Date: September 20, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Ceremony: Catholic Church, Reception: Hotel BallroomAbout Me: I'm a Midwestern girl who longs to live in a warmer climate (my feet would be happy in flip flops any day!). I love travel, impromptu napping, grilled cheese sandwiches, my iPhone, singing with reckless abandon in my car, and Mr. French Fries.
I posted a while back about how I’m letting my bridesmaids pick their dresses from the Aria collection online. My only limits were that the dresses be knee-length and in the black silk shantung fabric. I was hoping that my bridesmaids would be able to get a few more miles of use out of a LBD than a bridesmaid dress in our other wedding color: pink.
I’m happy to report that all of my lovely ladies have made their selections! I had wondered if they would all (by some chance) pick the same dress. Nope! They’re all wearing completely different dresses, and I know they’re going to look fab.
And now, it’s time for a breakdown (… no you’re never gonna get it, never ever gonna get it… En Vogue, anyone? No? OK.)
Mrs. Sewing, San Mateo, CA/Honolulu, HIAge and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: June 27, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Anela Garden Chapel & Japanese Cultural Center, HonoluluAbout Me: I'm an easily entertained, compulsive idea-scheming machine who loves good art, good food, and a good engineering challenge. I'm planning a half-destination wedding on the beautiful island of Oahu - imagine a plethora of movies, art and games; savory Hawaiian food; blended Chinese and Japanese cultural details; lush, fragrant tropical flowers and all the air conditioning a NorCal native could want! And once I marry the love of my life, we'll come back to the 'mainland' to party it up all over again in my hometown of Salinas, the salad-bowl capital of the world!
Three of the last four weddings I have attended have involved Asian brides. And you know what that means, right? Dress changes!
Though I may only be half-Asian, I fully look forward to and embrace the tradition of changing one’s dress several times throughout the reception. Indeed, I had it all planned out. In addition to my traditional white gown and Chinese cheongsam, I would also wear a uchikake - the Japanese wedding kimono.
As promised, it’s DIY Friday! Hive members have been hard at work on their latest wedding craft projects, and we’re here to show them off! Click on the title of each project for tutorials!
Mrs. Pencils, Washington DC/Frederick, MDAge and Occupation: 24, Program Director, Education Non ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Administrative Assistant, Ocean Conservation Non ProfitEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Morningside InnAbout Me: I'm a nerdy Northwestern girl who always knew she was meant to live in the East, harboring a deep love of ice cream, underwear, Diet Coke with a splash of Coca-Cola, pashminas, scrapbooking, stationery, wall calendars and books written for preteens. I think every day should include good thin crust pizza, chocolate, an obscure historical monument, lots of laughter, a dash of wedding planning and, of course, amazing Mr. Pencils! I'm loving the adventure of planning a Maryland wedding and Rocky Mountain reception, and most of all, I just love love!
A few weekends back, I tried to nail down two main elements of the travel theme: the luggage tag place cards and the globe cookies. One was a pretty big score… and the other an epic fail.
The major score was the creation of our luggage tag place cards. We chose the pictures to use as the image on one side and this was pretty uneventful. We’re planning on using our personal photos from different locations we’ve been, like the two examples below:
Mrs. Rainbow, TampaAge and Occupation: 22, Makeup ArtistFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Electrical Engineer/ProgrammerEngagement Date: November 27, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Gamble PlantationAbout Me: I'm a quirky (and slightly Type-A) freelance makeup artist who was born in Washington State, raised in Alabama, and now living with my one and only in sunny Florida. I'm fashion and beauty obsessed, and have recently discovered my inner domestic diva extraordinaire. I'm a wannabe chef, decorating addict, and trying desperately to be as crafty as possible---albeit only with a glue gun. I'm hopelessly in love with my fiance, and all things sparkly and feathery. Despite the glittery exterior, I'm a total hippie on the inside. When I'm not making up pretty faces, I love doing what I can to help people, animals, and the environment. Someday the FI and I will change the world, but first we're tackling our modern-vintage-Marie-Antoinette-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland inspired wedding. I just can't wait to be Mrs. Rainbow!
Now, contouring is not something I do every day. I love how it makes my face look, but it’s a little time consuming for my day-to-day routine and it’s just “too much” for everyday wear, in my opinion. I only ever contour myself if it’s a special occasion and I want to look extra fabulous, or if I know I’m going to be photographed (wedding, derr).
Contouring takes a light hand and a little practice, but it’s one of those things what, I think, is non-negotiable if you’re going to be on camera. Camera flash tends to give you “pancake face” because the light fills all the hollows (read: natural shadows) of your face, making it look like it’s basically all one plane. That ain’t cute.
Before I get into the nitty gritty, I’ll show you my nifty little diagram, so you know exactly what I mean when I say “apple of your cheek” and what not. I left out jawline, forehead, and temple because, seriously, I think you know what that is.
Mrs. Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, ProfessorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, InstructorEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
Let me formally and properly introduce you to “me” and “he”, better known now and soon to be forevermore as “us”.
Me
I am a Vietnamese American psychology graduate student born and raised in Sunny San Diego, California. I went to UCLA for my bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Women’s Studies and currently live in Chicago pursuing my doctorate in Community Psychology. (Enough of my academic resume yet?)
The academic stuff is important to me because I feel that it provides a backdrop for everything else is that “me” and sets up what has become “us”. But on to the more personal stuff. When I’m not doing the school thing, I’m attempting to keep myself busy with artsy fartsy stuff like sewing, knitting, crocheting, and other things crafty. I take pictures of nearly everything just because I think it’s fun. And I pride myself on being able to craft useless items into pretty useful items.
He
Mr. Hot Wings is a psychology nerd too, born and raised in Illinois. He claims Lithuanian heritage, but he’s actually mostly German and a tad Irish, too. Read more…
Mrs. Ribbons, Washington D.C./Bloomington, INAge and Occupation: 23, Research Associate for an international development firmFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Proposal Coordinator for contractor
Engagement Date: May 2, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Indiana Memorial UnionAbout Me: I'm an Indiana transplant living in DC with my fiance and our pretty kitty. I enjoy the color pink, I'm obsessed with the Dior New Look and tulle, and I heart my level 80 paladin. I'm a sucker for bad TV, literary theory, and cakes of all persuasion. I also happen to be marrying the cutest closet nerd around! It's all about Bloomington for us because it's where we met -- on the college paper. If there's a theme for our small summertime wedding, it's Dior meets Dorothy Draper on a lark in Bloomington; think poofy, plus graphic prints, bold colors, and a whole lot of prettiness.
With my first fitting coming up this weekend, it was time to order some shoes. I decided my color work-around would be black — re-wearable! So, the rest of my specifications were:
Low heel or a high heel with an ankle strap - my feet fall out of pumps otherwise
Satin, because I like to feel fancy
Under $150
Black satin shoes should be pretty easy to come by and they were, but I’m way too fussy. I only found one shoe out of millions at Zappos that I liked.
Mrs. Spaniel, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 28, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, PsychologistWedding Date: March 2010Venue: Calamigos RanchAbout Me: I'm a third-year law student trying to balance graduating with starting my career, keeping up a relationship, and, oh yeah, planning an Old World, multi-cultural, "mountain lodge" wedding for 180 guests! A South Asian Jewish girl getting ready to marry my handsome Catholic Dane, I'm hoping to blend our cultures in our wedding just a bit more gently than by providing samosas as appetizers and offering æbleskiver for dessert. (Although that would also be awesome.)
When I updated our wedding website with our new engagement photos, I took a quick gander at the old ones, just for fun. I knew the new ones were going to blow the old ones out of the water, but I saw something that I hadn’t expected: I lost weight! My workouts are working!
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
I suppose I should have started my dress-buying series with the caveat that the shopping experience happened months ago (in the summer, actually)… thank you to everyone who has offered advice/tips over the past few days, though!
And in Part 3, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. I make up my darned mind!
After shopping around at a few other stores, my mom, grandma, and I headed in to CC’s Boutique in St. Petersburg for my appointment. I filled out my info card, and then my consultant, Monica, met with me to start the dress process (by the way, she was amazing!). She had me describe the details that I was looking for in my dress… I provided her with 5 key words: lace, strapless, sweetheart neckline, fitted. Then we began.
Monica explained that the first dress she brings out is the one she feels is the closest match to your ideal dress. Depending on how you react to the different aspects (too tight? Too sparkly? Too poofy?), she adjusts her dress selections from that point.
And… wouldn’t you know it… the dress I purchased was indeed the first one she brought me. But first, let me show you another dress that almost stole my heart, before the big reveal…
If you are Mr. Buttons, AVERT your eyes! Go away! And, if you don’t want to see it, just don’t scroll down!!! Read more…
Unique Wedding Favors
